The Australian adventure begins in the country’s vibrant, sophisticated and welcoming cities where a relaxed outdoor lifestyle meets a melting pot of cultures and a whirlwind of theatre, restaurants, nightlife and events.

Sydney -You’ll love Sydney’s spectacular harbour, seductive outdoor lifestyle and great natural beauty. The city also offers fabulous fusion food, world-class shopping and a lively nightlife.

Melbourne – Melbourne boasts famous shopping precincts, a passion for food and a fabulous arts scene. In the maze of hidden laneways, you’ll find cute cafes, swanky bars, secret art spaces and off-the-beaten-track boutiques.

Canberra – Canberra is the perfect city to explore about Australia’s culture, history and way of life in the nation’s capital. This planned city is famous for its lake, parklands and native bushland surrounds. Beneath the foliage, Canberra offers stylish restaurants, hip bars, boutique shopping and a non-stop calendar of festivals and events.

Brisbane – Discover the gardens, sandstone cathedrals, classic Queenslander houses on stilts and skyscrapers that make Brisbane such a fascinating mix of old and new. Explore the boutiques and bars of urban villages such as Fortitude Valley and Paddington. Just on Brisbane’s doorstep, Moreton Bay beckons with all kinds of water-based adventure.

Adelaide – This elegant city is known for its colonial stone architecture, expansive parklands, lively festivals and incredible sense of space. Explore the museums and libraries of North Terrace, dine on dedicated ‘eat streets’ or picnic in gardens that sprawl over almost half the city. Just beyond the city centre you’ll find the picturesque Adelaide Hills and the world-class wineries of the Barossa Valley.

Perth – Bask in the sunshine in Perth’s alfresco restaurants, friendly pubs and clean and uncrowned beaches. Swim, surf, fish, windsurf and sail at Cottlesloe or Scarborough Beach, then skip between the boardwalks, beaches and marinas of the Sunset Coast.

Darwin – Soak up Darwin’s balmy weather and melting pot of food and cultures in the many outdoor festivals and markets. Then learn about the city’s Aboriginal heritage and dramatic history in the museums and galleries. Darwin is also the gateway to World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, Nitmiluk National Park and Arnhem Land.

Hobart – Don’t miss this small, scenic capital, famous for its Georgian buildings and crisp air.

Cairns – From this stylish international city, the islands, rainforest and reef of tropical North Queensland are at your doorstep. Don’t miss a day trip to the magical Daintree Rainforest, thought to be the planet’s oldest surviving tropical rainforest.

Alice Springs – Start your outback adventure in Alice Springs, in the heart of Australia’s Red Centre. This rollicking, modern town is also a day’s trip from the iconic attractions of Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon.

Gold Coast – Get ready for 70 kilometres of beaches, World Heritage-listed rainforests, theme parks, shopping, nightlife and a lifestyle that’s all about having fun. Don’t forget to discover the waterfalls, glow worm caves and native animals of the lush Gold Coast hinterland.

Broome – Meet camels and characters in Broome, an exotic pearling town that sits at the gateway to the Kimberley. While enjoying the character of this quirky town don’t forget to check out dinosaur footprints preserved in rock and birdwatch from Roebuck Bay. Between March and October, you can catch the romantic magic of ‘Staircase to the Moon’, a silvery illusion created by the reflection of a rising moon.

Get up close and personal to nature’s spectacle in Australia

This is a country where boundaries blur – ancient rainforests skirt modern cities and waterways surge from craggy red earth. In Australia you can get up close to native plants and animals and experience spectacular beauty on land, air and sea.

Eight places to immerse yourself in nature

1. Swim with whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef – Meet the world’s biggest fish, the whale shark – in the turquoise waters of Western Australia’s huge fringing reef. These gentle underwater giants feed on the bright coral reef between April and June.

2. Lose yourself in Kakadu National Park -You’ll be lost for words in World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park – a tapestry of rainforest and Aboriginal cultural artifacts across 19,000 square kilometres.

3. Visit fairy penguins on Phillip Island – Every day at dusk, Summerland Beach on Phillip Island comes alive with thousands of little penguins. The rugged ocean beaches, sheltered bays, blowholes and caves are also home to koalas, abundant bird life and a large colony of fur seals between October and December.

4. Touch ancient rainforests in Tasmania’s national parks – The World Heritage area stretches more than 1.38 million hectares – from the rugged alpine peaks and dense rainforests of Cradle Mountain in the north to the island’s remote southern tip.

5. Find Technicolor treasures on the Great Barrier Reef – This World Heritage marine wonderland is an explosion of colour that stretches for 2,600 kilometres off the Queensland coast.

6. Hang out with the wildlife on Kangaroo Island – Meet seals, sea lions, koalas, wallabies, bandicoots and platypus in the wild on Kangaroo Island, an ecological haven.

7. Bushwalk in the Blue Mountains – The blue-hazed beauty, dramatic cliffs and deep canyons of the Blue Mountains is perfect for soaking up the breathtaking panoramas while trekking along the Six Foot Track, horse riding and scaling the sandstone cliffs.

8. Explore the Australian Alps – Straddling New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, the Alps has uniquely Australian alpine vistas and year round opportunities for outdoor adventure.

Also check out the world’s most ancient living culture, Australia’s Indigenous people, have a continuous history spanning more than 50,000 years. Theirs is the oldest story on Earth, providing an irrevocable understanding of the birth of the land, its cragginess, spirituality and wonder.

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